Fleeing Suspect Ran Across I-95 In Stafford County: Police

STAFFORD COUNTY, VA — A man ran onto Interstate 95 in Stafford County on Tuesday in an attempt to avoid deputies, the Stafford County Sheriff's Office said. Deputies believe the man was in possession of a stolen car before the chase.

Authorities momentarily halted traffic to bring him into custody.

The sheriff's office identified the man as 35-year-old Job Coffer. Coffer was charged with possession of a stolen vehicle and fleeing law enforcement. He was also served 18 warrants from Fairfax County and was charged with fugitive from justice for Maryland warrants.

Coffer is being held without bond at the Rappahannock Regional Jail. He was taken to Mary Washington Hospital after his arrest, but authorities did not provide any details about possible injuries.

Around 1:15 p.m. on Tuesday, a Stafford County deputy found a stolen vehicle at the Olde Forge neighborhood's Exxon station. The vehicle was unoccupied, but a witness told deputies that a man got out of the vehicle and walked into the gas station.

"Within that store, it was advised there was a man who matched that description asking employees if he could leave out the back. Staff politely declined," the sheriff's office said in a report. "Believing this could be the suspect, deputies waited patiently outside of the store for him to exit."

The suspect immediately started to run away from deputies when he left the store, authorities said. The deputies chased him as he ran past Motel 6, through the woods, and up the I-95 northbound off ramp. Authorities said the fleeing man then ran onto the median separating northbound and southbound I-95.

"Instead of attempting to play a real-life game of Frogger, deputies tracked the suspect from the shoulder, buying time until units traveling Southbound could reach the suspect and pause traffic," the sheriff's office said. "Captain L. Peters and Deputy J.W. McAlister were those units, and were able to stop the suspect from fleeing further."

Deputies said they found the keys to the stolen vehicle as they brought the suspect into custody.

On Wednesday morning, Coffer momentarily escaped police custody and tried to flee from Mary Washington Hospital, authorities said. Members of the Rappahannock Regional Jail staff and the Fredericksburg Police Department were able to take him back into custody.

The sheriff's office said more charges could be pending for Coffer.